For nearly two decades, Ramon (Radjkumar) Ramsodit has maintained a close, trust-based friendship and working relationship with Chan Santokhi, the prominent Surinamese political leader, tracing their connection back to their first meeting in 2006. In this personal tribute, Ramsodit shares intimate insights into Santokhi’s character, political leadership, and lifelong commitment to uniting Suriname and its diaspora community in the Netherlands.
When they first met in 2006, Santokhi served as Suriname’s Minister of Justice and Police, and Ramsodit immediately noticed his rare combination of expertise, calm demeanor, professional competence, and genuine dedication to advancing the well-being of both Suriname and its global diaspora community. Years later, when Santokhi took the helm as chairman of the Surinamese Progressive Party (VHP), he personally reached out to Ramsodit to invite him to contribute to the party’s work and to Suriname’s national development. Santokhi was fully aware that Ramsodit’s political views aligned more closely with social democratic ideals and the National Democratic Party (NDP), but this ideological gap never created a barrier. Instead, this open invitation underscored Santokhi’s inclusive approach to politics and his unique ability to unite people across ideological divides.
In recognition of Santokhi’s decades of work connecting Suriname and the Netherlands—particularly his engagement with the diaspora community based in Rotterdam—Ramsodit and other community leaders honored Santokhi with three distinct awards: the Diaspora Certificate, the Rotterdam Four Lions Pin, and the SuRo Pin. These honors were a public reflection of the deep appreciation community members held for Santokhi’s consistent efforts to build lasting bridges between the two nations.
For Ramsodit, what stands out most beyond Santokhi’s proven governing skills is his fundamental humanity. Even with the heavy demands of high public office, Santokhi remained consistently thoughtful and engaged. He regularly turned to Ramsodit for support drafting texts and researching complex policy questions, never failed to send a personal birthday greeting each year, and even surprised Ramsodit with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for his 50th birthday. One of Ramsodit’s most cherished memories is a late-night meeting in Lelydorp held on his birthday, where their conversation stretched into the early hours until the date shifted to May 17 in the Netherlands. With his characteristic good humor, Santokhi pointed out that the day was also Queen Máxima’s birthday and encouraged Ramsodit to send his congratulations to the queen. The chairman of the Satya Dharma Netherlands organization was also present at this gathering.
When Ramsodit worked to nominate Santokhi for a royal honor from the Netherlands, Santokhi pushed back, noting that the award could be weaponized for political gain against him. This response revealed both his sharp understanding of political realities and his personal humility. Instead of accepting the nomination for himself, Santokhi suggested that Ramsodit put forward other VHP members based in the Netherlands—an act that reflected his genuine respect for the work of his peers.
The pair’s relationship was built on deep personal trust and mutual respect, with both addressing each other by their first names. Their final in-person conversation took place on Friday, November 21, 2025, at the De Olifant venue. During that meeting, Santokhi thanked Ramsodit for his work supporting the state visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands to Suriname, as well as his efforts to nominate diaspora members and Suriname-based residents for royal honors. At Santokhi’s request, part of this conversation was recorded for posterity.
Santokhi’s trust in Ramsodit extended even to personal family matters. When Santokhi’s daughter Shanylla Santokhi graduated from Leiden University, Santokhi was unable to attend the ceremony in person. He asked Ramsodit and Ram Rambarstsingh to be present on his behalf, so he could follow the milestone moment remotely via video call.
Looking back on nearly 20 years of collaboration and friendship, Ramsodit emphasizes that his work with Santokhi has been incredibly valuable. Even when the pair held differing views, they always maintained mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to advancing the interests of Suriname and its people. Their friendship has remained genuine and durable, standing the test of time since 2006.
For Ramsodit, Santokhi is far more than just a skilled political leader. He remains, above all, a warm, engaged, and deeply principled human being. The tribute closes with two rallying cries: “Jai Jai Chan, Jai Jai Sarnam” from Ramon (Radjkumar) Ramsodit.